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UK warns that fake imported DS handhelds could be hazardous
HM Revenue & Customs has put out an official report warning that "hundreds of imported counterfeit game consoles seized at UK freight depots were found to have been supplied with potentially dangerous power adapters." Most of the wares had been purchased at a deep discount from Asian websites claiming to sell "genuine Nintendo products" for over 50% off. The Big N has already stepped in to confirm that the DS / DS Lites are indeed counterfeit, and the accompanying power adapters were also deemed "potentially dangerous, since they had not been electronically tested and do not meet strict UK safety standards." C'mon parents -- even if the youngin' has been bad, we'd still say coal is more fitting than a stocking full of potential electrocution.[Via Pocket-lint, image courtesy of Infendo]
Nokia warns that KIRF phones are a threat to personal safety, national security
Over the years, Nokia handsets have fallen victim to the infamous KIRFing process time, and time, and time again. Evidently the suits up in Espoo have had enough, as evidenced by a new marketing campaign urging bargain hunters in India to avoid unbranded / duplicate handsets. The ad, which was spotted in the Mumbai Mirror, is comical in a number of ways. For starters, the notion that "originals last forever" is obviously misleading untrue, and secondly, the whole "instilling fear" tactic is severely unnecessary. Nokia asserts that all KIRF handsets lack an IMEI number, and thus owning one "could be a threat to your safety and national security." Or is that longhand for "a threat to Nokia's bottom line?"
Keepin' it real fake, part CLXVII: 2PG PSP knockoff adds second controller, nothing else
The 2PG TC8281 is one hard working portable game console -- and trust us, it ain't easy trying to make a living under the shadow of the PSP and its less expensive (and downright irreputable) siblings. Don't blame the poor guy if he was born with "brand name style," as they say in the business -- what he lacks in originality, or in technological ability, he more than makes up for in hard work. Yours for just under $50, this handheld is compatible with the ever-popular Cool Boy game console, and ships with 117 games (5 on-board, 112 on the cartridge) including Milk Nuts, Space ET, Zippy Race and perennial favorite Mappy. And if all that weren't enough, the device includes A/V outputs for bringing the party to your television, and a separate Playstation-like controller so you can get your game on multi-player style. Ready to take a chance? More pictures after the break.[Via Technabob]
Sonilex is slimmer than the PS3 and like, totally plays Tekken
Hey there, budget-conscious gamers: the Vii didn't quite pan out the way we'd all hoped, but we just want you to know you still don't have to spend $500 or wait for a PS3 Slim to hit the shelves to have a gaming experience worthy of 2008. Just pick Sonilex -- it's a fraction of the size of the PS3, and at around 32 bucks even the most stingy gamer can splurge for it. Word is 41 "NES games" have been released for Sonilex this year alone (probably piled into that odd-looking cart on the left there), including, incredibly but really, the unauthorized NES port of "Tekken." After all, the game cart says "2008" on it so you know you're getting the absolute cutting edge of NES games -- like, ones that were never even released until just now, okay? No word on Blu-ray though. That's a deal-breaker if you ask us.
Keepin' it real fake, part CXLII: Sony Ericsson's T700 gets a twin (sans Ericsson)
We've always wondered when we'd see a KIRF that was actually more desirable than the original, and while this ripped T700 isn't quite as succulent at SE's own T700, it's closer than most... on the outside. This touchscreen-based cellphone (which is obviously masquerading as a camera) supposedly sports a Carl Zeiss lens, a 5x optical zoom (seriously?), 8-megapixel sensor, a microSD slot and easily one of the nastiest user interfaces we've ever had the displeasure of laying eyes on. Hit the read link if you're into that type of sick stuff , and jump on past the break for a front side shot. [Via MobileMentalism]
Keepin' it real fake, CXL: Cottage MP3 player apes iPod nano 4G a year in advance
Why, this is downright preposterous! How dare the copyright-ignoring, astonishingly uncreative minds of those at Miao copy Apple's latest iPod nano design a full year in advance? They should be implausibly embarrassed by churning out a so-called Cottage MP3 player in 2007, all while the brains at Cupertino sat and pondered how to make its tiny little PMP that much better. This, people, is an outrage. An outrage!
iTreo 800p available on eBay: L@@K
Well whaddya know? The iTreo 800p is finally selling on eBay! We thought the day would never come that we could actually get our hands on this totally sweet -- and absolutely real -- phone. Man were we wrong. Sure, the listing says you're selling off a Treo 800W, but given the large amount of completely reassuring blue text, scrolling text, and large font text, we'll happily accept that we will, in fact, receive the device pictured above via UPS Next Day Air. So, yes. Yes. We will "buy it now" for $349.99, safe in the knowledge that by this time tomorrow, we'll be the only guy on our block busting out the iTreo 800p at parties, pool halls, and any place else where all the happenin' stuff happens. Thanks "naseemajid" -- you're A+++++ in our book. Update: It appears the eBay auction has been pulled. We can't imagine why.[Thanks, Spencer]
SanDisk's Sansa Fuze clearly rubbed off on Newsmy's M521+
We can't (with a clean conscience) carelessly fling Newsmy's M521+ into the KIRF pile -- though we'd sure love to. It's hard impossible to miss the design cues ripped directly from SanDisk's Sansa Fuze, though the unit does have just enough uniqueness to keep it from being a bona fide clone. Reportedly, the device packs an FM tuner, FM transmitter, support for MP3 / WMA / APE / FLAC / AVI formats, a photo / text viewer and an interface that we wouldn't let our worst enemies use. Oh wait, is that the iTunes logo? Is it too late to reconsider that whole KIRF eligibility thing.[Via PMPToday]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXVIII: Vertu Ferrari ripoff devoid of Italian blood
It's one thing to buy a Chinese impression of a Nokia candybar -- you know, something only the fanboys will notice as out of place. It's another to fool only yourself by opting for this over the real deal. The Vertu Ascent Ferrari clone operates on GSM networks and features a 1.8-inch 220 x 176 resolution display, USB connector, 128MB of internal storage, support for MP3 ringtones and MMS capabilities (take that, iPhone!). Excuse us, we're feeling a little sick from staring at this abomination...
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXVI: Jointech's $99 JL7100 rips Eee PC in spectacular fashion
The Kira 100 was a decent Eee PC knockoff, but at just north of $475, there was literally no purpose in picking it over the genuine product. The Jointech JL7100, however, really makes ASUS' darling look mighty unnecessary. Okay, so maybe the fact that this thing relies on WinCE 5.0 rather than, you know, a bona fide laptop operating system is a bit disappointing, but there are sacrifices to be expected here. As for other specifications, you'll supposedly find a 7-inch 800 x 480 resolution display, Samsung chipset, 64MB (yes, megabytes) of internal storage, 64MB (yes, megabytes) of RAM, a VGA output and three USB ports. We can hear your stifled laughter from here, but your tune may change upon hearing the $99 (USD?) price tag. Told you so.[Thanks, Sean]
Mickey Mouse phone probably doesn't have Disney / Apple's blessings
This doesn't mark the first time (nor will it be the last) that we've seen a handset totally disregard the Mickey Mouse and / or Apple trademarks, but it's probably the only instance where both were violated on the same phone. We don't really know much about the mobile you see pictured above -- well, aside from the gratuitous use of big ears and well known fruit -- but it's probably worth hitting the read link for a couple more images alone.[Via textually]
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXV: Touch Diamond gets aped sans luster
Not that we'd view the actual Touch Diamond as IF or anything, but the Diamond J6 is more along the lines of I3. In all seriousness, this thing isn't too far from being spot-on identical (maybe it's an HTC thing?), with a 2.8-inch display, built-in camera, multimedia player, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot. And for $160, we're almost inclined to fall in love here... almost.
Keepin' it real fake, part CXXIII: the Wiimote candy dispenser
According to the reader who sent this our way, this candy dispenser looks "exactly" like a Wiimote, except it fires candy out of the spot where the IR transmitter should be. Apparently the instructions suggest that you "Do not aim at face," so... it's kind of like the real thing.[Thanks, Timothy]
Red PSP in early? No, it's just a fake PNP
Many of us here at PSP Fanboy find the sexy red God of War PSP a worthy object to lust over. This faker called the PNP, on the other hand, is definitely not. While its emulation of the PSP's likeness is sub-par, it is quite easy to be fooled at a quick glance. If you look closer, you'll see a horizontal vertical screen that's much smaller than the PSP's. This makes us believe that this little machine of copyright infringement can only go as far as playing Tetris.If you see this anywhere, don't bother with it. If you want a real red PSP, grab yourself the God of War one that's out this June 3rd.
Keepin' it real fake, part CXIX: PNP just can't hang with the PSP
Straight from the "spotted at the mall" files, one eagle-eyed tipster has shared a picture snapped at a local shopping venue where the presumably astounding PNP was being kept under lock and key. This marvel boasts the iconic PSP shape, obligatory D-pad, dedicated On / Off button (let's see your Sony do that... in this manner) and four puzzling buttons to the right of the "display" mounted in the middle. Yeah, it was only being sold for around $10, but you'd have to slip a Hamilton in our pocket before we'd mar our collection with this filth.[Thanks, Enrique]
Teclast T50 PMP reviewed on video, shows off totally aped UI
We'll admit, we had our suspicions that Teclast's capacitive multitouch-packing T50 would arrive with an eerily similar user interface to some other device out there, and a ten minute video review recently tossed up by MP4Nation thoroughly confirms those fears. In all seriousness, this thing may actually not be a half bad unit, but whether or not you're really interested in such an impostor, it's worth checking the video after the jump for laughs alone.[Thanks, Edwin]
Apple finally setting its legal sights on the HiPhone?
Oh, there are plenty of bad Chinese iPhone knockoffs out there, but the HiPhone may be the reigning champion these days -- so it kind of seemed like a matter of time before Apple loosed the hounds on distributors of the device. We don't have confirmation or proper human translation of the above legal notice, but it would appear Apple's European counsel Bird & Bird has delivered at least one notice to an unnamed distributor threatening €25,000 in damages (and €15,000 in legal fees) for HiPhone sales. Hardly the case of the century, but we'll let you know if we hear anything.[Thanks, Ricardo]Update: Reader Ben W hooked us up with a translation of the letter; we can't vouch for its veracity, but it's posted after the break if you want to check it out. Thanks, Ben!
Move over Vii: introducing the 7-in-1 console
The latest in the short line of Wii knockoffs, this product is made by the China Shenzhen Firstsing Company Limited and might just be the best of the bunch of knockoffs already on the market. Featuring some stellar 16-bit graphics, it offers everything someone who's too cheap to buy the cheapest real console on the market could want. [Via Engadget]
Another Wii knockoff arrives to give Vii some competition
The Vii (or Vii 2, for that matter) not really providing all the satisfaction you were craving when you first acquired it? Don't hang your head in shame, dear boy, there's another option for you yet! China Shenzhen Firstsing Company Limited, the same company who provided the totally unnecessary cooling fan for the actual Wii, has produced a 7-in-1 gaming console that -- from here, at least -- looks unbelievably similar to Nintendo's latest machine. Still, this rig provides mind-melting 16-bit graphics, sports games that are "similar to those on the Wii, but more cheaper," a wireless gamepad, a battery-powered designed (uh...) and a sweet gift box just in case you're showering someone with kindness pranking your cubicle-mate. We're not even going to touch the pricing issue, and trust us, neither should you.[Via Zumo Blog, thanks Henrique]
iPod building block speakers keep your dock connector company
Too busy to bother with external speakers for your iPod? Still can't shake that fascination with colored blocks after all these decades? Take heart, young buck, as the iPod building block speakers can keep that kid in you alive for a good bit longer -- though we aren't sure the audiophile in you will be too pleased. These non-powered "drivers" get amped after being plugged into an iPod's dock connector (sorry, iPhone users), but curiously enough, they only arrive in a single 2.5- x 1- x .75-inch form, which doesn't exactly fit flush against the last-gen nano. Nevertheless, those giddy about the notion of claiming a few as their own can pick 'em up in yellow, white, red, black, blue and green for $24.99 apiece.[Via BoingBoing]
